


Perfect Redefined {a Bughead Christmas}

by 3amAndCounting



Category: Riverdale - Fandom, bughead - Fandom
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Fluff, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2018-01-02
Packaged: 2019-02-18 18:34:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13106097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/3amAndCounting/pseuds/3amAndCounting
Summary: “She was perfect redefined. Redefined to so much more. She was Betty Cooper.And god did he love her.”Christmas Day at the Pembroke is to be the best yet for Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones. It’s a day spent relaxing with their best friends, eating delicious food, cuddling while watching Christmas movies, oh - and having to keep their hands off one another until Christmas Night.





	1. Christmas Morning

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing fan fiction, I hope you enjoy! Also, I’m incredibly bad at editing so I hope the spelling and grammar is okay - sorry if there’s anything that doesn’t make sense I’ve tried my best to check it.

Christmas at the Pembrooke had seemed like a great idea to Betty Cooper when her best friend Veronica suggested it a week ago. First of all, it could get her away from another disappointing Christmas at home, with her mother and father bickering through Christmas dinner, but she'd mainly agreed because she couldn't leave V alone on Christmas Day while her parents went on a glamorous holiday without her. Originally it was to be just the two of them, but Veronica was quick to invite her red haired prince and of course him being a complete puppy dog around her meant he was quick to agree. Part of Betty felt sorry for Fred, but Archie had assured her that his father had made other arrangements and planned to make up for some lost time with his brothers, and so Betty left it at that - glad to have her other best friend with her on the day. It wasn't long after that that Veronica had invited Kevin and Josie (who had no issue leaving their newly engaged parents alone this Christmas for fear of partaking in one more uncomfortable family dinner.) The gathering seemed to keep expanding as where Josie went, Cheryl followed, and no one was going to send Cheryl back to Christmas with her Mum.  
Betty had invited Jughead almost as soon as it was agreed upon, and in light of his dad's downward spiral he had originally declined in order to spend the holiday taking care of him. But, as recently as three days ago, he had taken back that declination on the basis that his dad declared they would be spending Christmas with their 'real family' at the Whyte Worm. Betty felt bad for her him, it always took its toll for him to see his dad like this, but she was selfishly glad he would be with her on the day. After all, she didn't feel it would be Christmas without the love of her life by her side.

Now, as the oven bellowed out smoke and the alarm screeched through the kitchen, Betty was beginning to think this wasn't such a smart idea.  
"Kevin?!" Betty called to Kevin, from her place hanging mistletoe above the couch, as he was fanning frantically at the smoke.  
"It wasn't my fault, Cheryl was meant to keep track of the time." Kevin argued, to which Cheryl merely looked up from her phone, smiled and said "sorry - oh wait no I'm not." And continued to scroll through Instagram.  
Since Veronica was still on the phone to Archie and Kevin clearly had no idea what he was doing, Betty dropped the mistletoe and rushed over to help. She opened up the oven and took out the burning tray of potatoes with a sigh.  
"Josie can you open a window?" She called to Josie, who was paying a Christmas Song on the piano. Betty turned off the alarm and began a rant at Cheryl and Kevin about why they'd even started the potatoes yet, but was quickly interrupted by Josie informing her that the snow had froze the window fast shut.  
"Then open the door." Betty called, and Josie did so before falling back into an armchair and selecting a Christmas playlist to serve as backing to this chaotic scene.  
The smoke began to clear as Betty wafted it towards the door, and Betty declared that she would take control of the cooking from now on, (A declaration that neither Kevin nor Cheryl had a problem with.) 

Betty was just in the process of fastening a scarlet apron around her waist when Veronica emerged with news that the boys were nearly there. Betty couldn't help the rush of excitement that took control of her body, and she thought that maybe one day she would stop becoming warmer to her core at the mere mention of Jughead Jones, but she couldn't imagine that day coming to pass any time soon. She was also suddenly very aware of her appearance, and stated to second guess the outfit she'd picked out. It was an oversized white woolen jumper tucked into a tartan skirt, paired with some fluffy white slippers and delicate white lace strung into her pony tail. She had no reason to be nervous, but somehow the prospect of seeing her boyfriend always made her want to look her best. She stared into the mirror door of the kitchen cabinet and decided to take her hair down, letting it fall across her shoulders in waves around her face.  
Betty had become so focused on appearing her best, she had not noticed the scene unfolding itself behind her. In the living area, Cheryl and Kevin had gotten into another one of their petty arguments, while Josie had upped the volume of the Christmas music to an unnecessary level and Veronica seemed to be becoming infuriated at the entire situation. It was at the exact moment Veronica was standing up in protest that two boys appeared at the door. The redhead seemed taken aback by what he was witnessing, setting his bag down by the door without saying a word and entering cautiously as Josie finally lowered the music. Veronica instantly seemed to relax as she saw Archie coming towards her and she reached out for him in an embrace and then in a kiss that Cheryl had a lot to say about.  
Betty payed no attention to them, her eyes were fixed instead on the dark haired boy in the beanie, staring at her from the doorway. She let her face grow into a smile a little to big for her as she walked toward him gleefully, and he returned her smile in what she could only describe as relief as she curled into his arms. She stayed their in his chest for a minute, maybe because it was warmer there, maybe because of the way he smelt like home, and he kissed her forehead and then put his hands on her shoulders so that she was facing him.  
"Merry Christmas." He smiled and she tiptoed to kiss his cheek in reply. She realised as she did so how much she would've liked to kiss him properly, but she'd never actually kissed him in front of her friends before and she wasn't sure how they'd react and she wasn't really sure how he'd feel about it either, so instead she took his hand and led him further into the room so she could close the door behind him.  
"I've missed you." She said in what was almost a whisper, and he smiled a little and said,  
"I saw you yesterday morning, remember?" He said it with a slight raise of his eyebrows and she blushed. Of course she remembered, the kiss they'd shared still lingered on her lips, and now she was a little mad because she longed to feel that again, she longed for all sorts of things, but now was not the time.  
"Come on," she said, "I need help with these potatoes." She took his hand again and led him to the kitchen, greeting Archie as she did so.  
Jughead laughed at the sight of the blackened potatoes.  
"Was this somehow fault of a certain red queen with a habit for setting things on fire?" He questioned and Betty just rolled her eyes and nodded with a smile. She took hold of the tray and carried it to the bin to empty it out, but not before Jughead had got his hands on a fair few of the crisped potatoes.  
"They're ruined, Jug." She laughed, tipping the last of them into the bin.  
"No food is ruined." He replied with a smirk, setting himself down on a breakfast stool. Betty smiled again, although she wasn't completely sure at what, it just seemed to be the way her face reacted to the presence of Jughead Jones. It was as though he had some spell over her, she found it difficult to be anything but happy when she was around him.  
"How was your morning?" She asked him as she gathered another round of potatoes from the cupboard.  
"Incredibly uneventful." He replied sarcastically.  
"An uneventful Christmas morning does not exist." Betty teased, inviting him to answer her more efficiently.  
"Not in your world, Cooper." he smirked back at her, "The way I see it, it's ten AM and I should still be in bed."  
"Come on Jug, it's Christmas. Would you really rather be alone and asleep than here making roast potatoes with me?" She said in her sweetest tone, holding out a knife for him to help her chop. With an eye roll and a grin he took the knife from her hand and pulled his stool closer to her.  
"No, you're right." He sighed, taking hold of a potato and beginning to chop. "I want to be right here." He looked up at her from the his place on the stool - he was maybe a few inches lower than her but something about the notion made her feel mighty, and she smiled down at him as they chopped together. How was it that an act as simple as cooking with him could send butterflies right through her. As they prepared the potatoes, his hand brushed against hers, and the contact - although subtle - was enough to send her mind back to that place. Her eyes traced the way his raven hair fell across his forehead and eyes, the way he was so concentrated on cutting his potatoes, the way the tip of his tongue poked ever so slightly out across his lips - maybe in concentration, maybe because the boy had what could only be called a weird desire for food at any and all times. Betty had become so distracted by his mere existence that she'd become careless in her chopping, and she dropped the knife suddenly and winced at the cut she's laid on her index finger. It was only tiny, almost like a paper cut, but it was deeper and it had caught both her and Jughead by surprise.  
"Are you okay?" He panicked, as she stuck her finger in her mouth in a natural reflex. She just nodded and sucked on the cut. "Let me see." He declared, guiding her hand out of her mouth and into his hands where he observed the sliced skin and the gentle trickle of blood seeping out of it. Without a word, he spun his stool around to face her, so that she was stood between his knees and looking ever so slightly down on him, and he brought his own lips to the wound, gently sucking on the incision in a way that was somehow incredibly soothing and oddly intimate for Betty. She watched him as he did so, and she could feel a redness rise in her cheeks as she couldn't help but let her mind wonder back to the place it so desperately wanted to go. How long had it been? A week maybe, since she'd spent the night at his trailer. She couldn't remember - too long,  that was all she knew for sure. She longed so deeply for his kiss, just for her face to be held by him, just for one kiss.  
"Better?" He asked her slyly as he let her hand fall back to her side with one last gentle kiss too the wound, and she nodded gently, still caught up on her own imagination.  
"You sure it's okay?" He asked, slightly worried by her lack of response.  
"Yes, your lips work miracles." She smirked back and he seemed satisfied by that answer. In fact, he seemed very satisfied as his hands found her waist and pulled her into him quite suddenly, bringing their foreheads to meet as he exhaled rather harshly. He must have been feeling the way she was. Betty breathed into the moment, and now more than ever she longed to feel his lips against hers. His breath was on her jaw, spreading out across her neck and her lips as they slowly nuzzled closer, as if time had slowed completely. Both were in anticipation of what would be a lightening kiss, but mere moments before their lips met, a voice startled them apart.  
"You guys disgust me." It was Cheryl, she was stood hand on hip across the breakfast bar. "We're opening presents." She said in that same cold tone. Betty blushed to see everyone indirectly watching them, they'd never been that openly intimate before, and she wasn't sure whether the wide smile Veronica was hiding behind her hair made her feel better or worse about it.  
"You're never off on timing, are you?" Jughead muttered under his breath, to which Cheryl smiled in a way that was sweet - but definitely not sweet - and said cheerfully "Just be grateful I stopped you when I did. For all our sakes."  
Betty rolled her eyes and with that Cheryl turned and strutted back to the couch where she curled up next to Josie, their arms intwined ever to slightly. Betty and Jughead made it over to where everyone was sat, and for lack of a better seat, made base on the floor by the tree. Betty was sat cross legged and upright, and just behind her (to her left), her boyfriend sat slouched, half laying down with his hair still falling across his eyes.  
They'd arrived in the middle of a conversation between Josie and Kevin, and Betty had immediately tensed at its subject.  
"What was Chuck doing at Pops on Christmas morning anyway?" Kevin had asked Josie inquisitively, to which Josie shrugged and went to speak, but not before Cheryl managed to interject, "the better question is what were you doing at Pops on Christmas morning, you're better than that J." Josie rolled her eyes with a smile before turning back to Kevin.  
"Probably harassing some poor girl." Veronica guessed, and Betty angered at the thought.  
"I still can't believe you're friends with that sexist violation to mankind." Cheryl sighed at Josie, and Betty was sure she noticed some jealousy in Cheryl's tone.  
"Jealous much?" Josie taunted, just as Betty had been thinking so. "Besides, he's not my friend, we had one bad date." Josie's eyes lingered on Cheryl's as she spoke to her, and Kevin must have felt it too because he broke the silence to say "You know as much as I hate Chuck, you have to admit-"  
Betty cut him off before he could finish, "can we not talk about Chuck right now?" She snapped a little more harshly than she intended, her nails beginning to dig into the scars on her palms. Jughead had straightened up at the sound of her distressed remark, and although the others may not have known what happened beneath the clenched fists of perfect-girl-Betty Cooper, he did. In a moment of panic, he pushed himself closer to her, turning so that his chest pressed against her back and slipping his arms tightly around her waist to grasp her hands in his as they lay on her lap. It was a notion that drew attention, and although Betty understood exactly what his intentions had been, the same couldn't be said for the company they shared. Archie certainly seemed taken aback by the sudden gesture, he wasn't used to seeing his friend partake in open displays of intimacy, and it was no secret to anyone - least of all the rather flustered Betty - that the action had left jughead's head nuzzled into her shoulder so that his lips brushed the back of her neck and ear lobe. The room had fallen silent in response to Bettys outburst and the following shenanigans, and Betty became worried that Cheryl would say something else to embarrass her. Fortunately, her best friend seemed to sense her discomfort and loudly declared that they should get on with the presents. A chorus of agreement rose up from Archie, Kevin and Josie, and everyone had shifted their focus onto the gifts that Veronica had begun handing out.  
Jughead took this opportunity to make sure Betty was okay, and Betty shuddered ever so slightly at the more than pleasurable feeling of his breath against her neck and his whisper in her ear. "You alright, Cooper?" He'd asked her, thumbing at her palms as he did so. She couldn't find it in her to speak, so she just nodded and held his arms tighter around her waist, and she hoped that he hadn't felt the shudder that had ran down her spine moments ago - although she worried it was hard to have missed considering the way in which she was pressed against him.  
Veronica continued to dish out the presents as the conversation turned to Archie and his music. It was mainly a conversation between him and Josie but both Veronica and Cheryl seemed to chip in where they could, while Kevin became distracted by the watch Ronnie had got him as a gift.  
"I'm gonna grab drinks." Veronica announced suddenly. "Betty, care to assist?" She said in a tone that suggested an alternative motive. Jughead loosened his grip around Bettys waist, an act that Betty wasn't happy about, as she got up to follow Ronnie to the kitchen.

"What is it?" Betty asked expectantly as she arrived back again at the breakfast bar.  
"Are you okay?" Her best friend asked her, looking truly concerned.  
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Betty returned, worried she may have seen her clenched fists.  
"The Chuck thing..." Ronnie begun, and then in a whisper, "Betty, you're the colour of your apron." Betty looked down at the bright scarlet she forgot was wrapped around her waist, and then her eyes widened and she lifted her hands to her cheeks. She was warm, very warm.  
"I'm fine." She said casually, trying to force back the embarrassment that was sure to make her redder still.  
"B, I'm your best friend and I haven't seen you this red since the encounter we had with Nick last month. What's up? Was it just Chuck, because we don't have to talk about him," Betty glazed over listening to Veronica's tangent, she was obviously worried, and if not for the awkwardness of it all Betty thought she would've just told her the truth. "Because you know you could tell me of there was something else, if you need me to hurt someone I'll hurt them-" on second thought, Betty would say anything to put Vs panic to rest, as funny as it was watching her get defensive.  
"It's nothing like that." Betty sighed, rolling her eyes and pouring herself a glass of water.  
"Then what." Ronnie leaned in, sensing that it was something personal. Betty's eyes flicked to the group of her friends by the tree, checking to make sure no one was looking, and none of them were. None of them but Jughead, Who was watching her intensively, but who looked back to Archie embarrassed when their eyes met. Betty smiled ever so slightly.  
"It's Juggie." She whispered shamefully, looking down at her drink.  
"What about him?" Veronica frowned surprised, "You two were being so - oh..." V smiled in realisation. "Oh..." She said again, but louder this time.  
"Shh!" Betty hushed, as she saw Jughead and Archie's eyes dart their way at the sound of Veronica's surprise.  
"Betty Cooper." Veronica smirked, "you're really under his spell." Betty just rolled her eyes and took another sip of her drink, gulping it down in a smile.  
"I thought you two were being especially cosy." Veronica teased, and Betty rolled her eyes again and put her empty glass in the sink.  
"Please V, do me a favour and forget about it." Betty pleaded.  
"I will say no more." Veronica giggled. "But from me to you -" here Veronica's voice changed to a whisper, "- don't let him get away with it." And with that Veronica picked up a bottle of champagne and walked back to the group by the tree, perching now on Archie's lap and snuggling back into his shoulder.  
Betty followed, playing with her hair nervously as she rejoined the group. She was too embarrassed by her conversation with Veronica to sit back with Jughead now, so instead she sat where Veronica had been sat, next to Archie.  
"Betty, why don't you do your presents?" Cheryl suggested, and Betty nodded and said sure she would, leaning over to her pile and distributing them across the group.  
She faulted before handing Jughead his - everything about their relationship was so private she'd just assumed they would do their presents privately. But she pushed her nerves aside and passed him the gift, and he thanked her with a smile that near as melted her where she sat. He cracked open the lid of the box the gift was in, and his face broke into a smile when he saw what was in it. She'd got him a magnifying glass, a proper one, and the handle had been engraved with a date. He knew that date, of course he did. It was the night he had told her he loved her, the night she had said it back. He didn't have to say anything else, he just met her eyes with a look that told her how grateful he was, and handed her his gift to her.  
Beneath the terribly wrapped paper, Betty was surprised to see pale canvas. She knew it must be a book, but what? She tore back the paper and traced her fingers along the spine of what was obviously a rather old book - in good condition albeit. Her face mimicked Jughead's earlier expression when she saw the writing on the spine. It was Nancy Drew, a first edition as it were. It was such a thoughtful gift, and it must have been so difficult to come by. She was so touched by the gesture that she hopped off the couch and pecked Jughead's cheek, thanking him as she did so. She was in the process of pulling away again when his hand grasped her wrist and pulled her gently back in so that his lips tickled her ear once more, and again she felt a shiver run through her.  
"I love you, Betty." He reminded her, and the sound of it - the feel of it against her skin was driving her crazy. She remembered what Veronica had said, don't let him get away with it. Slowly but surely, Betty tilted her head into his neck, so closely that her lips were more than noticeably against his earlobe and neck, "I love you, Jughead Jones." She whispered in the most seductive tone she could manage, rolling out every syllable in warm breath. She figured it must've worked because Jughead swallowed hard, and let out a long shuddered breath.  
"You're killing me Cooper." He whispered with one last squeeze of her hand, and a gentle running of his fingers along her jaw (which made her heart beat wildly) before letting her go back to her space on the couch. Betty was less worried about being seen this time, as almost everyone was occupied with the extravagant gifts Cheryl had put together. Everyone but Ronnie, who had been watching her, and who gave her a sideways smile and a wink, that's my girl.  
Betty had lost her interest in gifts after that, and she spent the rest of the gift giving session watching Jug in her peripheral while half engaging in conversation. Every now and then, she met his eyes, and did something obviously flirtatious like chew her lip or move her hair behind her ear. He seemed into it, and it made her feel powerful every time he forced back a smirk or shook his head ever so slightly at her in disbelief. She felt powerful, and yet she was so goddamn powerless around him. It was Christmas Day, and all she could think of was how much she wanted it to be Christmas Night so she could be alone with him.


	2. Christmas Afternoon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the reads everyone, glad you enjoyed! New chapters are in the making.   
> Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates it!

Betty had ended up making Christmas Dinner all by herself, and that was a fact she did not wallow in for she was well aware that had help been offered she would've declined - and had she not declined it would've ended in disaster. So she'd made dinner alone while Jughead taught Kevin, Archie and Veronica the rules of Cluedo (and beat them at it with ease) and Cheryl and Josie spent their time watching the Christmas television together. In the hour or so it took Betty to prepare dinner and set out the table for the seven of them, Jughead had won four games of Cluedo and Josie and Cheryl had met hands and begun to cuddle on the couch - no one questioned it.

Betty carried out the Christmas Turkey and placed it in the middle of the Dining Table, the final touch.

"It's ready." She called over to her friends, and everyone was immediately moving towards the table. She watched Jughead for his reaction - she knew how he felt about food - and of course it was priceless. The smiles he harnessed when food was around were always her favourite smiles, they spread out across his face, brightening his eyes and cheeks as they did so. 

"Betty, this looks amazing." Veronica said in compliment as she pulled out her seat across from Betty. Archie took his place next to her and the two of them immediately started piling up their plates with vegetables and meat and gravy.

Jughead sat down next to Betty and took a potato straight out of the bowl and into his mouth, which earned him a glare from Betty. Although, she couldn't help but smile at the way his eyes melted at its taste.

"Betty Cooper," he said in an exhale as he took another potato, "You're a blessing." She blushed at the compliment as she started to fill her plate.

"I hate to say it B," Cheryl said from down the table, "but this looks pretty great." She admitted.

"And it tastes even better." Archie said, pouring himself a glass of red as he did so.

Jughead smirked at the remark and muttered, "That's always the way." 

Betty wasn't entirely sure what he meant by it, but the redness returned again to her cheeks and she decided to help herself to some of that wine Archie had been enjoying. At the very least, it would give her an excuse for her crimson cheeks.

"This is going to be the best Christmas ever." Kevin stated out of nowhere, and Josie smiled and agreed. Those two were already beginning to act like siblings, which Cheryl quite obviously didn't like.

"As apposed to your usual Christmases at the sheriffs station?" Cheryl had said, again in her sweet -but not so sweet - tone.

"My dad takes Christmas off." Kevin returned to which Cheryl had asked if Sheriffs could do that. 

"At least my parent wanted to spend Christmas with me." Kevin had said under his breath.

"As apposed to my father who will be spending Christmas with the worms?" Cheryl inferred, her fake smile not fading for a moment.

"I was talking about your mum actually." Kevin said, looking a little guilty, and Cheryl just raised her eyebrows on a smirk and took a long sip of dark wine the colour of the very blood her family knew all too well.

"Can you two stop it?" Veronica sighed, "It's gonna be the best Christmas ever, why couldn't we leave it at that?" 

"Like she could leave something if she tried." Kevin said unintentionally brutally, but deep down even Cheryl knew they were joking.

"I left my beloved Brother to his murder at sweet water river and I left my-"  
Betty cut Cheryl off before the conversation got dark beyond return, "just eat your food Cheryl or you'll be joining him."  
She said, in a tone that was harsh enough to get the point across but smily enough to pass off as a joke.

Cheryl smiled and took a bite of her potato, "I was kidding." She smiled again, and somehow Betty thought she was being honest and for a moment she thought that Cheryl may actually be enjoying herself. 

"So," Veronica said in a way that directed everyone's attention to her, "we have this family tradition where after Christmas dinner we change into formal clothes, drink wine and maybe do some dancing as the evening approached, and I thought maybe we could all change - to be honest I just want an excuse to wear my new dress." Veronica seemed excited and Betty was about to say it was great idea when Cheryl butted in again,  
"Aren't family traditions supposed to happen with your family?" Veronica just rolled her eyes. "And are you seriously telling me that you used to dress up to party with only your mummy and daddy Lodge?" 

"No." Ronnie rolled her eyes again, "Daddy used to host Christmas dinner for the family and a few of his business partners."

"You spent Christmas with FP? How tragic." Cheryl joked, and now Jughead rolled his eyes. 

"Our parents weren't business partners, they had one deal, a long time ago." He clarified and Cheryl shrugged and said a deals a deal. Technically, she wasn't wrong - in fact, Cheryl wasn't ever drastically wrong. She was drastically mean, but the fire behind her insults was the truth in them.

"Anyway," Betty said, "I think it's a great idea - but I didn't pack formal wear." She said in realisation, to which Ronnie and Cheryl both said in sync,  
"I did." It would've been funny had Cheryl not added, "but there's no way I'm letting you anywhere near my clothes." To be truthful, Betty still found it rather funny. Veronica had proceeded to remind Betty that they were at her house and that she had an entire closet to chose from. 

 

So, once dinner was finished and Jughead had had second and third helpings, the girls and Kevin all went into Veronica's spare rooms to change. (Jughead and Archie decided they were fine as they were.)

As the time came for choosing a dress, Betty realised just how different Veronica's fashion sense was from hers. Everything was tight and hugging and shorter than Betty would've chose. But once again, as Bettys eyes scanned the dresses before her, she heard Veronica's voice in her head - don't let him get away with it. Betty decided that maybe the difference in fashion sense would work in her favour, and begun feeling through the dresses before her eyes. She was nearly set on a decision when the voice in her head became a voice not in her head, and Veronica appeared beside her speaking in a devilish tone, "that's not going to do it."

Betty had almost jumped out of her skin, and she scolded Veronica for sneaking up on her, before shifting her focus back to the dress in her hand.

"I like it." Betty argued.

"Look, B," Veronica said, taking the dress from her hand, "you'll look irresistible whatever you wear, but if you really want to make him pay..." she let the sentence fade as she hung the dress back in the wardrobe and picked out another. It was coal black, and incredibly short. It’s hugged her curves and came up around her neck, with a long zip running down the back to the base of her spine.

Betty wasn't sure if she could handle the dress, but a darker part of her was sure that Jughead couldn't, and thus the battle within her raged up once more. She knew that Jughead wouldn't really care about what she was wearing, and it made sense to wear the dress she felt comfortable with, but the deeper part of her had no regard for comfort. She wanted to feel powerful, and she convinced herself that it wasn't really her choice and that it would be rude to disregard her best friends opinion on account of something as mere as her comfort.

"Fine." She sighed, a little too exaggerated she thought, and she took the dress from a squealing Veronica.

"You're going to look amazing B!" Veronica promised, taking her own choice of dress from the closet and rushing off to change in the bathroom. 

"V?" Betty called after her before she could leave.

"Is this dressing up really a family tradition?" She asked, even though she was sure she knew the answer already.

"No," Ronnie smirked, "my mum and I usually curled up and watched TV after dinner and my dad would retreat back into his office." She admitted and Betty sighed with a sympathetic smile.

"You didn't have to say that." Betty told her, aware that V was doing anything she could today to boost Bettys confidence in the Jughead department.

"Hey, I'm getting something out of this too you know." Veronica laughed, turning back towards the bathroom and calling over her shoulder, "just put on the dress."

Betty put on the dress and a dark lipstick to match. She felt the power run through her veins when she looked in the mirror. It was like she was staring at someone else, and had a newfound appreciation for best friends. The dress was a good choice.

 

***

 

Jughead had been waiting with Archie for all of twenty minutes now, and Kevin had retuned from the guest room in a smarter shirt five minutes ago. Archie and Kevin shared another bottle of wine while they waited, and Jughead just laid across the couch repaying the day so far in his head, most specifically all the parts starring Betty Cooper, and he narrated it in his mind as though he were writing some more of his book - and maybe he would write about today, it was already getting to be one of the best days of his life.

Cheryl and Josie emerged first, and Cheryl was dressed in bright cherry as per the norm - but it was not something that Jughead took extreme notice to. His attention was instead focused beyond Cheryl, as appearing from the doorway behind her, was an incredibly stunning Betty Cooper.   
She was dressed in black, her lips were dark red and yet she burnt with a certain fire that made her glow up in colours far brighter than Jughead had known to exists before now. He let his eyes fall across her, although really it wasn't in his power to stop them anyway, and as they fell his heartbeat rose. He tried not to focus on the way it hugged her body or the way it showed off her incredible legs, but he had no power over himself. The same could not be said for Betty Cooper, and he thought that that was perhaps the most attractive thing about her, because she walked as though she left fire where she trod, a burning trail of embers where she'd been, and an overwhelming heat wherever she went.

He took a deep breath inward and stood up to greet her, looking a her as though she were some sort of divine being - not quite believing that she could be real. Surely this was not the same Betty Cooper that had begged him to write for her school newspaper, or who had brought him to her sisters baby's shower and who had worried about him and time and time again - the sweet, innocent girl that he'd kissed in her bedroom all those months ago. No, this was the Betty Cooper of kitchen countertops and trailer parks, the one who spoke out against an entire town, defended a rebel gang at her own risk, who had come face to face with death and not blinked once. She was powerful, and god was she glowing, and he was burning right back at her as he met her piercing emerald eyes.   
It was all consuming, and he walked towards her with one intention and one intention only. He wanted to grab her by her waist and pull her into him, no hesitation, no time to react. He wanted to kiss her hard on the lips she'd laced in colours that reminded of of the wine she'd been sipping only an hour ago, and of the blood that was boiling up within him. He had to do it, he had to show her how beautiful she looked, and there were no words he could sue to tell her that. No words. And he called himself a writer - but surely no one could put her beauty into something as mundane and unflattering as words.

"Hey." She smiled as he neared, and there was something devilish in her tone. If he'd had it his way, that would've been the last thing either of them said, but the world is a cruel place and just as Jughead reached Betty, Veronica had popped up beside her and was grabbing her by the shoulders and spinning her so that they were facing each other. 

Veronica gasped as Jughead sighed,  
"Oh my gosh, I knew it." Veronica announced with a wide smile. "Betty Cooper you astonish me." She exhaled triumphantly at a job well done and Betty smiled through gritted teeth, seemingly irritated at the interruption, thanked her, and told her she looked amazing too. 

Veronica then proceeded to stride towards Archie, who was stood by the couch, leaving Jughead alone with Betty once more - but now the moment had passed and everything felt a little anticlimactic. 

"Betty," he started, but quickly remembered he hadn't been able to plan what to say to her, and so her name faded into the white noise surrounding them.  
"Jughead." She replied with a little smile, and the shy girl that kept a diary shone through for long enough for Jughead to gain his confidence back, his anxiety melting away into the warm feeling he got when he was around her. He'd never really known what it felt like to have a home, a proper one, but he thought that it must feel a lot like this.

"Are you okay?" She asked with an unsure smile, and she shook his head and nodded all at once.

"Yeah, sorry -" he realised he must've allowed his eyes to melt a little too much and now he was embarrassed, "honestly I was tying to figure how to tell you you looked amazing but it was an attempt that fell short nearly as fast as my dad's attempt to go sober." He joked, because he always resorted to humour in moments of vulnerability. Fortunately for him it was that very humour that wore Betty down, and the pink spots rose in her cheeks once more, making Jughead feel immediately more confident.

"We should join the others." Betty whispered, her eyes scanning his face, trying to figure him out. 

He smiled and sighed a heavy sigh, "What an unfortunate statement that is." He declared, putting an arm on her back as they walked over to the couches where the others were already pouting yet another round of wine.

 

***

 

The way he spoke to her made her feel simultaneously more powerful and incredibly powerless all at once, she thought she was putting up a good front until he made a stupid joke and she felt herself grinning and blushing all over again. Damn that boy and his effect over her. 

She was sure she'd felt her heart climb up into her throat in the moment he had implied he wished not to join the others, but to remain alone with her. And if she was not helpless by then, the feeling of his hand against her back brought about the kind of comfort that made her want to just curl into him and remain there forever. 

"Wow B." Cheryl pronounced proudly as the two of them appeared. "Who knew it - little Betty Cooper rocks sexy even better than she does a cardigan." Betty smiled but couldn't properly react before Jughead had muttered,  
"You have no idea." 

Betty's eyes widened at the remark, and she knew she wasn't the only one that had heard, in fact it would seem everyone had. Veronica's face had broke into the worst attempt to hide a smile Betty had ever seen and Archie had raised an eyebrow at his best friend as if to say 'did you really just say that?'   
Betty thought the silence would kill her and for once she was thankful when Cheryl frowned, tossed her silken hair and said, "Ew." 

It was then that Veronica declared they play a drinking game (even though it was only four o clock.) Betty was grateful for the suggestion, and in the moment that her friends were focused on organising themselves on the couches, Betty shot Jughead a glance that only made him smirk more.

"Never have I ever..." Archie said, trailing off as he racked his brain for something good. He spent a while thinking and so Cheryl started up the commentary,  
"Come on Archiekins" she teased, "there's plenty you haven't done. Slept with your teache- oh wait you did that. Made out with Veronica Lodge in a closet - nope you did that too. Get a drink thrown over you at a party by your ex gir- no that also happened." 

Veronica rolled her eyes but Archie just laughed Cheryl's comments off. Then it was Kevin's turn to chip in,   
"How about, turned Cheryl Blossom down - oh wait, that also happened." Kevin said, and even Betty thought that was good. Cheryl sniggered at him from across the couch.

"Never have I ever..." Archie said again and Betty thought for a moment he'd got something but again he faded into cluelessness.

"Had any real life problems." Cheryl suggested, and this even got a chuckle out of Jughead, which led to Archie throwing Jug am angry glance.

"Come on, that was funny." Jughead argued, and Archie rolled his eyes with a smirk and suggested they come back to him.

"Never have I ever," Josie begun, it now being her turn, "kissed a girl." She said it with her eyes on Cheryl, and this time Betty was sure she meant something of it. Archie drunk first, and then Kevin (because of that phase he went through trying to convince himself he was straight.) Then Veronica drunk and Archie's head snapped back in her direction,

"When?" He asked in surprise, and Veronica and Betty both chuckled a little as their eyes met.

"They made out as an attempt to get into the Vixens." Cheryl announced, and Archie raised his eyebrows and turned to Betty,

"Really?" He asked, not quite judgementally. Betty raised her shoulders and took a sip.  
"Is that everyone?" Veronica asked.

"Jug?" Archie prompted, because Jughead hadn't drunk and he was of course in a relationship with a girl who he had kissed many times.

"I don't drink, remember?" He explained, and Betty hopped up and went to the fridge to dig out a bottle of Coca Cola, of which she poured him a large glass.

"This will do." She said, walking back towards were Jug was sat on the couch and handing him the glass. He took it gratefully and took a large gulp of the liquid, his eyes still on Betty as she stood over him. She decided after watching him take that gulp with his hair falling across his eyes and a slight grin on his face, that she would take no mercy. She sat back down next to him, but she sat much closer than she had before, so that he would be able to feel her warmth, her skin against his, their bodies pressed against each other with little room between. She even decided to lean back into his shoulder, so that part of his arm was behind her and she crossed her legs so that her knee brushed his and their calf's overlapped. It was an innocent contact, but she executed it as though it were a crime.

It was Cheryl's turn now, "Never have I ever kissed two or more people in the space of a week." She said, As she spoke, her eyes cut into Archie completely unsubtly. Betty was sure that Cheryl must have as well but no one brought her up on it.

"Really Cheryl?" Archie said, raising his eyebrows and taking a drink. Veronica followed suit and it was mutually assumed that it was back in New York - or maybe she counted Betty.   
Josie also drunk and when Cheryl asked who, Josie had told her she couldn't remember and that she had been on tour with the pussycats. Betty didn't drink, but she was taken aback when Jughead took a sip of his cola. 

"Who?" Betty asked, sounding more protective than she'd originally intended.

"Topaz?" Jughead reminded her and she rolled her eyes and settled back into him. She was embarrassed about how she'd reacted, and she was sure Jughead would've taken pleasure from seeing her get nervous like that. Before she could brush it off, she felt her heart quicken as Jughead's arm curled itself around she waist, his hand holding her firmly above her hip as she sat next to him. She tried not to act effected, but she could feel that she was flustered, and all she could think was that she had to retaliate, there no way she was going down like this. She moved her hand from her lap to his leg, playing with the fabric of his black skinny jeans and scratching at the material as if she were doing so subconsciously, she could see him hold back a smirk in her periphery.

Kevin's turn, "Never have I ever, committed a felony." He said, and of course he hadn't, his father was the sheriff.

Archie drunk, most presumably for his relationship with Mrs Grundy, but Betty was sure there were other things - driving without a licence, and of course withholding information on a murder, buying guns, leading investigations and trespassing.

Veronica drunk - she'd been partying, drinking and having sex way before the legal age in New York for a start, but she had certainly assisted Betty in her detecting before, and she had helped break into Grundy's car too and led detective missions of her own since.

Betty drunk, she'd broken into many places - including the sheriffs office, many times before, and that was the least of her sins.   
Jughead drunk - trespassing, living at the school, being a drug mule - and of course Archie had assisted him in that as well. 

And finally, Cheryl drunk - lying to the cops in her brothers murder trail, lying in court, not to mention burning her entire house to the ground. Cheryl took the crown off this one and she knew it, she drunk with the hint of a a smile on her lips.

"Never have I ever," Betty begun for it was her turn, and suddenly she was finding it hard to think of something she hadn't done - even though she knew there must be many. She looked about the room for prompts, and by her feet lay the limp leaves of the mistletoe - she remembered having been unable to finish hanging it before Kevin and Cheryl ruined the potatoes. "Never have I ever been kissed beneath mistletoe." She stated confidently, and now she could practically feel Jughead's eyes on her, and she knew that he must be smiling because the comment was quite obviously an attempt to provoke him. 

She didn't pay attention to who else drunk, (Archie, Veronica and Josie), she only paid attention to Jughead, turning to watch him drink.   
But he didn't drink, instead lifted the arm that was not fixed around her waist and leaned across her lap, stretching for the discarded plant that lay to her side. She was trying to hold back a smile in anticipation, and she didn't think he would actually do it, but sure enough he was reaching for that mistletoe. 

Jughead took the plant in his hand and looked from it to her for a moment with a smirk, the reach he had made towards the mistletoe had left his face mere inched form hers, and she could smell the sweetness on his breath - the warmth, and everyone else in the room had disappeared. They both watched the little green leaves sway as he lifted his arm above them, and then they were watching each other as he leant slowly in toward her to meet her lips, and all at once she felt she could breathe again. 

It was as if she'd been suffocating the entire day, slowly drowning beneath the waves of anticipation and finally he had given her air. She sighed into him as they kissed, and he must've thrown aside the mistletoe because his hand was holding her jaw and stroking her cheek. She felt warm to her core, her hands curling themselves around the fabric of his soft sweater and her lips curling around his, holding onto the moment as if maybe - just maybe - it could last forever.

Unfortunately, almost as quickly as the kiss had begun, it had ended, because despite what she would have herself believe, they were still on a couch surrounded by their best friends and the likes of Cheryl Blossom. As they parted, Betty could feel the shyer part of her taking over, but Jughead seemed to have a new confidence surrounding him. 

Without taking his eyes form her he picked up his drink and took a gulp, smiling into it once more, and now Betty was sure her cheeks were betraying her because she could feel the heat burning through her skin.

Jughead slouched casually back into the couch and Betty drew up the courage to check how her friends had reacted to the kiss. Veronica was smiling wider than she had all day, and Archie too had a grin on his face - a surprised grin - but a grin nevertheless. Josie and Kevin were both pulling puppy dog faces, Kevin with his hand over his heart. Even Cheryl seemed to be holding back a smile, and she held it back well, but Betty let herself be convinced that there was a hint of joy in Cheryl's eyes for a moment there. 

"Never have I ever..." Archie said, and Jughead interjected that it was his turn, "I think you just had your turn." Archie joked, and Betty couldn't hold back her chuckle, she bit her lip in a failed attempt to disguise it, and the notion had caught Jughead attention and now his eyes traced over her lips slowly and purposefully. 

"Never have I ever," Archie looked to Ronnie as he spoke, "been so in love." He said it like it was a fact, and Veronica smiled at him and said playfully "Whatever have I done to you? You've gotten soft Archiekins."   
She didn't drink, and he smiled when she didn't. 

Betty knew she didn't have to, but she looked up to Jughead. He smiled when their eyes met, a sort of side smile that turned her stomach over and made her want to kiss him again. She wished it was just them in the world for a while, and she thought that if there were a shooting star she would act upon that wish. But for now, she wished upon the star that sparkled atop the Christmas tree, and somewhere deep within her, she felt the magic beginning to work.


	3. Christmas Evening

It was an an hour and many more glasses of wine since the shenanigans that occurred beneath the mistletoe, and the game of Never have I ever had faded into a half hearted truth or dare that consisted primarily or Archie and Veronica daring themselves to make out, and when that had become too much for everyone else Cheryl had declared it was time for movies.  
"So what's it gonna be, Cooper?" Jughead asked, taking the remote and nudging Betty a little where she was perched beside him.  
"As if I'm letting Betty Cooper chose the film we're going to have to sit through for the next couple of hours." Cheryl interjected, but Jughead just rolled his eyes and waved the remote at her.  
"Something Christmassy." Betty said excitably, and Jughead rolled his eyes and tried his best to hold back the smile pushing at his lip-corners - god, she was so adorable.  
"What about Love Actually?" Kevin suggested and Jughead quickly shut it down, it was everything he found uncomfortable about movies - unrealistic romance, unnecessary nudity, uncomfortable sex, predictable outcomes and lack of character development.   
He was about to argue his case when Betty said, "Love Actually sounds perfect." He turned to look at her, she must've been fully aware that he hated that movie, and she must've been able to feel his eyes on her but she didn't break away from her gaze towards Kevin.  
"Great." Jughead sighed, flopping back onto the sofa and begrudgingly selecting Love Actually on Netflix (it was already on Veronica's list.) 

Before the film began, Archie suggested they get snacks, and he and Betty had gone to the kitchen to collect said snacks. Betty's dress was short before she sat down for a couple of hours, and as she stood Jughead had to force himself to avert his eyes from where they had ridden right up to where her thighs met her bum.   
"Actually guys, it's time I left." Josie announced, looking down at her phone. "My Mum wants to see me a little more before the days over and if I leave now I can get back for seven."   
"But we were just about to watch the film." Kevin stated, knowing that if Josie was leaving he probably should be too.  
"Come on Kevin, we can't avoid our parents all day." Josie argued and Kevin rolled his eyes.  
"I don't plan on going back until at least new year." He joked, and then to affirm that he was in fact not leaving with her, "I'll just pop back tomorrow."   
"Okay, whatever you want." Josie shrugged, "but I've gotta go." She stood up and Cheryl stood with her.  
"Bye Girl." Josie said, pulling Cheryl in for a hug that took her by surprise, but she was quick to sink into.  
"You're really leaving me here with them?" Cheryl said dryly.  
"You can come back with me if you want?"  
"To Mrs Mayor and Mr Sheriff? I'm trying to avoid all talk of my family." Cheryl raised her brow, and Josie gave her a solemn smile and apologised.  
"I'll see you tomorrow?" She checked, and Cheryl smiled back now -a proper smile,  
"Count on it." 

"Bye Josie." Betty called from the kitchen, and then she trotted over and gave her a tight hug, "Merry Christmas."  
"You don't have to go, I have plenty of spare rooms." Veronica reminded her and Josie smiled, thanked her and told her that she had to see her mother.  
"Well, we're here if you change your mind." Veronica promised, and with that, Josie said her final goodbyes for the night and left with a Merry Christmas.

"Let's get this film on." Archie declared as he returned with bowls of crisps, which he set down next to the mince pies and cookies baked earlier by Betty.

The film wasn't as bad as Jughead had supposed, it's been years since he'd watched it first and even then he'd only made it half way - which says something because he is not one to give up on seeing a movie through. Although his odd lack of complaints throughout the film could be down to the fact that Betty had positioned herself so that she was pressed close to him, by his side, his arm around her waist and her head buried into his shoulder and neck. They were beneath a heap of blankets, and Jughead thought her mere proximity to him was enough to keep him warm.  
Still, the blankets had their advantages. About a half hour from the end of the film, Betty had begun pulling at the wool of his sweater, fiddling it between her fingers and curling it into fists, as if subconsciously. Jughead had decided this was not fair, and so there his hand was, shifting from her waist to her upper thigh, twirling circles across her skin with his fingertips and stroking her with his thumb. He had felt her shiver when he touched her, and that had given him the confidence to turn his mouth ever so slightly so that it brushed her hair and ear to whisper,  
"Fair’s fair."   
He felt her smile against his shoulder.

By the time the film finished, Kevin had fallen asleep on the couch next to Archie and Veronica, and Cheryl had returned to her phone. It would seem Veronica was the only on really interested in watching the film, and even she seemed a little bored towards the end - most likely having watched it a thousand times over the past month already.  
"It's only eight, Kevin's asleep." The dark haired girl had pointed out as they switched off netflix.  
A mumble came from beneath the sheets piled over him, "No I'm not." Kevin then proceeded to right himself, sleepy eyes and with every breath becoming a yawn.  
"But I will be in five minutes." He stood up and looked as if he'd been hit with a tranquilliser dart.  
"You're going to bed at eight on Christmas day?" Veronica waited for confirmation, but Kevin just wished them all Merry Christmas and plodded of into the guest room layer out for him.  
"He's a sleepy drunk." Betty said from her spot against Jughead's shoulder.  
"He is." Veronica realised with a smile.

The five remaining friends had decided to close the evening with a series of board games, as is tradition in Betty's family Christmases, and by the end of it Archie was laced with confusion and Cheryl was angrier than she had been prior. They had started off with risk - world domination - and Cheryl had started strong with that one, taking the lead in strategy. She had unfortunately took a bad turn when they followed up with monopoly, getting thrashed by Veronica who seemed to cruise through the game. Betty had took the crown at Cluedo, which had annoyed Jughead since he was one move behind, and then they'd played a series of games all won by a vengeful Jughead: scattergories, boggle, cribbage, roulette, and countless card games that carried them into the night.  
By the end, Archie announced that he couldn't take anymore of Jughead being smug and so turned back on some late night tv and snuggled back beneath a blanket, pulling a giggling Veronica onto his lap as he did so.  
"I'm going to go change into my pyjamas." Betty announced, and Jughead let go of the hand he had been holding while they played so that she could stand up, once again having to avert his eyes.  
"Coming Jug?" She said somewhat flirtatiously and incredibly unexpectedly. His eyes darted up to hers and there was a wicked smirk on her lips, and he swallowed hard and tried to act casual.  
"Yeah sure, I need to change anyway." He said, and Veronica let out a laugh a little too obviously and Cheryl rolled her eyes.  
"Don't be too long guys." Veronica teased, and Betty assured her they would just be changing before she took Jughead's hand again and they left to the spare room they would be sharing.

"Tonight's been fun." Jughead said as Betty directed them into the room and closed the door. "Aside from the pretentious mov-" his complaining was interrupted as Betty closed her mouth to his. He was taken aback only for a moment before his hands held tightly to her waist and he was kissing back. She'd backed him against the door upon impact and now her hands were running up his arms and over his shoulder, locking around his neck. His stomach burned, flipping and twisting, taking control of his entire body as he kissed her - flicking his tongue across her lips as he held her waist just close enough for her to sigh into his mouth, allowing him access. As their tongues collided and danced in their mouths, her hands raked through his thick black locks, knocking his beanie away and holding onto him in fistfuls, it made him groan into her which only made her pull tighter - it was an endless cycle. He didn't know how long they'd been kissing before they had to break away for air. Eyes still closed as they breathed each other in, hands and arms still tightly locked in place.   
"So that's why you brought me here." Jughead teased, the slight hitch in his voice making Betty want to do nothing but kiss him again - and again, and again, until the end of time.  
"I needed that." She sighed breathlessly, "I've wanted that all day."  
"Me too." He admitted, running his hands across her hips and back as he looked into her darkened eyes.  
"We should change." She reminded him, bringing them back into reality as she pulled away from his grasp and went to dig her pjs out of her suitcase.  
"You're really going to change in front of me? Do you take no mercy?" He said, with a not so sarcastic tone.  
"Never." She smiled, looking at him over her shoulder. He winked and her cheeks flushed and she thought maybe it wasn't a great idea to change in a room with him after all. Veronica, Archie and Cheryl were all still waiting outside. But she'd committed now.  
She pulled her pyjamas out of her case (red cotton shorts and a matching baggy t-shirt that read "the most wonderful time of the year." It wasn't her sexiest choice but she hadn't really been thinking about that when she'd packed.  
As she turned back to face Jughead she lost her breath for a moment, he had begun changing on his own, and was faced slightly away from her now, shirtlessly stepping into his plaid pyjama bottoms. She hadn't forgotten how incredibly softened his muscles were - strong in a way that was less intimidating and more aesthetically appealing, and thin in a way that left him looking like every embodiment of perfection. She hadn't forgotten, but she was sure she hadn't remembered exactly how attractive he was until right now. He must've heard her quick intake of breath upon seeing him, because he had now looked up with a smirk, and he held her gaze as he pulled his undershirt over his head, leaving his mesmerising arms still very much on show.  
Betty didn't respond to his challenging smirk, at least not verbally.

Jughead had seen the look in her eyes when she caught him changing, and he knew exactly what was in stall, but that didn't mean he was in any way prepared for it. Betty turned calmly and slowly, pulling her hair aside to reveal a zip that ran down he back of the dress, all down her spine and stopping only at her lower back.  
"Care to do the honours?" She said, as if it were a completely innocent request with completely honourable intentions.  
Jughead took a deep breath and stepped forward without a word. This was her game, but he was determined to win at it. He stepped closer than she'd anticipated, his hands resting on her waist, his chest brushing her back and his breath tickling her neck as he approached her. He felt her breathing stop for a moment and then quicken as she attempted to steady herself. He used one of his hands to hold aside the hair she had moved, and lowered his lips to the space of neck behind her earlobe, brushing them gently along the skin and kissing her lightly. He then pulled gently back, leaving her aching for more as his hand found her zip. Slowly - tediously slowly - he ran the zip down her back. When it reached its end, he lifted both of his hands to pull the sleeves over her shoulders, so that the dress hung around her waist. Jughead could only see the back of her bra - black lace - and that was a problem for him. His hands suddenly found themselves on her waist, spinning her quickly to face him - still pressed against her tightly. His eyes found hers, darkening still, and then he let them fall across her body as she stepped out of the rest of the dress. Why did he ever think this was a good idea?  
Her hands trailed trailed up his chest as a redness rose in her cheeks and he realised he'd been staring just a little too long, his mouth hung slightly open as an attempt to breathe more evenly - a failed attempt at that.  
"Sorry." He whispered, and made a mental note to always clear his throat before attempting to talk in these situations. "You look amazing." It was a description that did her no justice, but his mind was too occupied to shake itself for words he knew would never suffice.  
"Not to bad yourself, Jones." She teased, and he shook his head slightly, gripping her waist and pulling her closer,  
"No, seriously Betty. You have no idea what you do to me." He told her, his eyes locked in hers. Although Betty thought that she had a pretty good feel of exactly what she did to him from where she was standing.  
"So do something about it." She whispered, and with that his mouth was crashing back into hers. It was only moments later he had lifted her legs up around him and placed her down on the bed. She moaned into his mouth as he settled on top of her, a burning pulsing through her every nerve ending as she felt him against her.  
"Fuck." He whispered, as he moved between her mouth and her neck, his hands coming up to find her bra clip as he did so. She arched her back at the feeling of his tongue flicking against her pulse point, and it was a movement that left them both shuddering with want.  
"Jug," she whimpered into his ear, and it was a statement that didn't need finishing, as his hand found its way to where she needed it, brushing against the lace fabric ever so slightly, teasingly but purposefully. He was just in the process of slipping his hand beneath the hem of her panties when there was a loud knock on the door.  
"Guys?" It was Veronica. Jughead sighed heavily into Betty's neck as he was overcome with disappointment, and Betty's legs fell limp around him as she felt the same.  
"You better not be having sex, it's not even eleven and we said we would wait up until midnight to get the most of Christmas Day!" Veronica whined and Betty's cheeked flushed even more.  
"We're not!" She defended quickly, pushing a smirking Jughead off her and sitting up to redo her bra. "I couldn't find my pyjamas because I'd already put them under my pillow." It was the worst excuse ever and she could practically hear Veronica rolling her eyes.  
"Just compose yourself and get out here, please." Veronica commanded and then they heard her footsteps lead away.

"Well fuck." Jughead stated and Betty sighed and then the sigh turned into a giggle. 

"That was..." her sentence trailed off.

"Not enough?" Jughead suggested, and she laughed again.

"I was going to say riveting but yes, that too." Betty pulled her pyjamas on and Jughead groaned grumpily aloud.

"What?" She questioned.

"You can't wear those." He announced and she raised her brows with a questioning smile,

"Why not?"

"The shorts," he nodded towards them, "they're short."

"As defining them as shorts." Betty clarified, acting oblivious to the way they pronounced her curves and showed off her legs.

"Besides, you're wearing that vest that shows off your arms." She argued.

"I always wear this."

"Exactly." 

Jughead just groaned again and stood to walk with her to the door. Before they left the room, he pulled her in for one last kiss, lingering on her lips as they pulled apart. She felt the tension in his breaths as he let them fall across her jaw.  
"Soon, Jones, just be patient." She smiled and led him out of the room as he mumbled something under his breath.

"Hey, sorry about that." Betty said a little too cheerfully, "I'm so forgetful."

"Quit it Betty, just come and sit down." Veronica said sharply and playfully all at once. It was rather obvious from the redness of Betty's neck and the grouchiness of Jughead's face what had happened - or rather, not happened. 

"You guys are vile." Cheryl announced, and Betty flooded with pink again, she'd forgot Cheryl was here too.

"But we di-"

"Don't bother, you're the colour of the sweater you're wearing." Cheryl interrupted, and Betty swallowed embarrassed and nudged Jughead in the ribs as punishment for the twitching corner of his lips. How could he be finding this funny?  
He liked seeing her struggle, she decided. Only playfully of course, but his confidence made her uneasy for sure.

"So what exactly have you dragged us out here for?" He asked Veronica, and again Betty nudged him.

"I thought maybe we would drink and talk some more? Maybe have some more Christmas pudding?" Veronica suggested, as though either of those things were even remotely worth interrupting him and Betty for.

"Really? That's what you disturbed us for?" Jughead said, and he realised that he was quite genuinely annoyed that he and Betty had been disturbed at such a crucial moment.

"It's fine." Betty said through gritted teeth, with another jab to his ribs. "Another drink sounds good." She moved away from Jughead and pulled Veronica with her to help choose a wine, and Jughead's eyes followed her legs as she walked. Damn those shorts. As he fell on the couch opposite Archie, he realised he was receiving a rather judgemental look from his best friend - eyebrows raised, as if having asked a question and gotten no reply.

"What?" Jughead sighed heavily into the word.

"Nothing, It's just unlike you." Archie said both defensively and accusingly.

"Can we not talk about this." Jughead quickly shut the conversation down, aware that he shouldn't have asked in the first place.

"I'm all for that." Cheryl said slyly from the armchair.

 

Betty and Veronica returned with a bottle of Moët and Chandon and four champagne glasses -along with some white grape slœur for Jughead. Betty sat back down next to Jughead and he wasted no time in slipping his arm around her waist and pulling her in so she was leant against him. Veronica popped and poured the bottle between them, and they cheersed to a Christmas well spent and to the hour or so they had left of it. Even Cheryl seemed joyous when they celebrated, and there was special comfort in that mere fact for everyone present. It was clear that she was really quite happy to be with them instead of with her crazy controlling mother, and for the most part they were all happy to have her.

"Candy cane?" Veronica asked, pulling a box of candy canes out of nowhere and holding them in Betty and Jughead's direction. Jughead declined on the basis that he was half way through a mince pie and intended on a good few more, but Betty gratefully accepted and took one of the red and white sweets from the box, innocently placing it between her lips with a smile. 

Cheryl had also accepted, but her cane met her teeth with a crack as it snapped against the violence in her bite - Jughead wondered what build up anger she was channeling this time and thought it best not to make eye contact. 

The group exchanged stories about Christmases long past, and then opinions of Christmas films and then on Christmas song before the conversation eventually landed back on their town and the people in it. There were five of them sat around the fire, but Jughead was paying no attention to the conversation the other four were having about Ethel Muggs, because next to him - her face merely inches away - Betty Cooper was working on her candy cane in an incredibly distracting way. She held the rounded end of it in her fingertips, and teased the other end in and out of her mouth, taking it away when she spoke and giggling back into it. He couldn't help but notice the way it occasionally caught between her teeth, or the way her tongue flicked against it, working it down. His eyes lingered, and he couldn't tear the, away for all the strength in him. God, she was sexy. She didn't even mean to be, but when her hair fell in curls around her face and her eyes dazzled with firelight and joy, she looked so beautiful. He reckoned he could watch her forever. He was just admiring the way her tongue darted out of her mouth so clean her bottom lip when he heard the distant muffle of his own name. Shit. He'd been paying no attention to anything else, and as he pulled his eyes away from Betty he saw Veronica staring at him - eyebrows raised, and Archie laughing beside her.

"What?" He said in a rush, and he saw Betty smile shyly in his peripheral.

Veronica rolled her eyes heavily and sighed, "I know she's hot but you could at least try and be discrete about checking her out, your eyes were basically licking that candy cane from her lips themselves."

Jughead felt himself blush, but decided the only option was to remain calm and collected. "What was it you were asking me Veronica?" He said with a sigh, drawing the conversation away from the little journey his eyes had been taking.

"We were talking about Toni, your serpent friend." Cheryl chipped in.

Jughead raised his brow, ready to defend her against whatever crap they'd gotten into their heads about girls like her.  
"What about her?" 

Veronica took liberty in answering, "If you'd been listening, you'd know we were talking about Ethel's Christmas party and I was wondering why she hadn't shown up - being that the serpents are at riverdale now."

Jughead had to stifle a laugh. "Ethel Muggs' party? Yeah, not really her scene." He said through a smile.

"And What is her scene?" Cheryl interrupted, "somewhere alone with you no doubt?" She said bitterly, as if she had any idea at all about Toni Topaz.

"Implying?" He challenged, and Cheryl smirked.

"You expect me to believe that a girl as dark and brooding as her hasn't made a move on you - who is basically her male equivalent?"

"She likes girls, actually." Jughead threw back, "besides, she's my friend." 

Cheryl looked a little taken aback by the comment and before she could reply, Archie - who looked very confused - chipped in with,

"But I thought you said she kissed you." By this point, Jughead was a little annoyed. He'd been working up to something with Betty, and talking about the sexual preference of his ex-not-even-a-fling come fellow gang member wasn't really setting the mood. Thankfully, when he looked to his left he saw that she was smiling as she watched how uncomfortable it was making him, and her tongue was still working it's way across that fucking candy cane.

"Then I guess she's bisexual, why are we talking about this?" Jughead snapped bluntly, and Veronica poured herself another glass.

"Fine," Cheryl said dryly, "What would you have us talk about Scrooge?"

"Using Scrooge as an insult is hollow in that he becomes the good guy." Jughead replied almost tiredly. He looked away from a scowling Cheryl and back to Betty, who was finally finishing off her candy cane and licking her lips clean, and then her fingers.

"And if I had it my way," Jughead said, his eyes still on Betty's lips, "we wouldn't be sat here talking at all." At that he felt Betty's eyes on him, and he brought his own up to meet her. She looked bashful, but beneath that there was something darker, something stronger. Her face was only inches away and he could see the shimmering stickiness from her recently devoured candy still glazed over the soft pink of her lips, and he found a sudden desire to taste it, to taste her.  
His eyes flicked between her lips and her eyes and back again, and he felt the burning urge deep within in him to kiss her.

"You guys are cute." Archie said, breaking the moment and tearing Jughead eyes once again away from Betty. "It's weird." He added and Veronica smiled in agreement.

"I think it's adorable." She stated, and Betty blushed and prepared to interject when Cheryl said,

"It's gross." With a judgemental furrow of her brow. "It makes me feel uneasy just looking at you together."

Jughead's eyes fell back to Betty and she was watching him too, her eyes clouded with embarrassment and that same deeper darkness from before, he thought he could rest no longer and his eyes stayed with her as he replied,  
"So don't look." 

With that, he leant in and closed the space between his lips and hers. Kissing her softly and deeply all at once, taking in the sweet mint that stuck to her lips, his hand holding her cheek and his thumb brushing the corners of her mouth. It wasn't a long kiss because despite his outwardness, Jughead still felt uncomfortable being watched kissing her, and so he pulled away and smiled softly as his thumb continued to run along her jaw.

"You guys are going to be the death of me." Veronica said through a smile as Betty flushed crimson. Cheryl rolled her eyes and took a sip of her champagne.

Jughead fell back into the couch, pulling Betty with him and she lifted her knees so that she was lying down against his chest, her hand placed over his heart and her cheek resting on his shoulder. His hand rested on her hip and his fingers slipped beneath her sweater and rested against the smooth warm skin just above her hip bone, tracing circles as they rested against her.

"You guys wanna watch another movie?" Archie said, if anything to break the silence hat had fell across the room. No, Jughead thought, and he assumed Betty felt the same as she sighed against him. Unfortunately it wasn't up to them because Veronica wanted to and that was it. They decided mutually on Elf and, as the film begun, Jugheads hand found its way further up Betty's sweater, resting his palm around her waist so that the circles his fingers traced were across the edge of her belly. His other hand was playing with hers as it lay on his chest, their fingertips dancing and breaking away only on the occasion that he traced her jaw or she lifted her hand to brush his curl away from his eyes. Jughead covered them in a blanket and thirty minutes into the film, Jughead could feel Betty's breathing deepen against him, her body rising and falling slowly and softly as she fell into a deep sleep. He closed his eyes and exhaled in a sigh, she was so adorable. He held back whatever strained noise was working its way up his throat when she nuzzles deeper into him in her sleep, her arm slipping across his chest and pulling him closer. 

 

His eyes lifted for a moment as he felt someone watching him - Archie. He wasn't sure exactly what the look Archie was giving him meant, it was somewhere between sympathy and admiration, and he smiled at his best friend across the room, looking between him and Betty with a look that had them mutually agreeing she was pretty adorable.

He placed a soft kiss on her head as she begun to slowly sink across his chest, falling limp in her sleep. He was sure his eyes were betraying him, he could feel the glaze that lapped across them in a gentle wave when he thought about how perfect she was - and maybe she hated that word, and maybe in terms of he general definition of the word, she wasn't perfect. But to him, even with all of her flaws, all of her deepest secrets and her darkest moments, she was perfect. She was perfect because he had spent his entire life broken until she came along and rebuilt him into someone with a purpose, she was perfect because of he way her eyes lit up when she smiled -not the fake smile she always felt the need to dress herself with, but the real one, the one that lifted her cheeks and creased her eye corners. She was perfect because she looked just as beautiful waking up and she did dressing up, just as sexy in pyjamas as she did in a tight dress. She was perfect because, in every sense of the word, she was imperfect - and yet here she was, loving him even in her sleep, and very much, perfect. 

She was perfect redefined. Redefined to so much more. She was Betty Cooper.  
And god did he love her.

**Author's Note:**

> New chapters coming soon, Merry Christmas!


End file.
